Pickup trucks and similar vehicles frequently may be fitted with carrying racks of various types to facilitate carrying oversized objects that do not otherwise conveniently fit in or on the bed of the vehicle. For example, objects that are longer than a vehicle bed, such as pipes, tubing, or rolls of carpet, cannot be secured easily in the pickup bed without considerable difficulty in securely tying the object and/or damaging the vehicle, e.g., by placing heavy and/or abrasive objects on the roof of the cab. The above problems are particularly acute for mid-sized and compact size pickup trucks, many of which cannot even carry a four by eight sheet of plywood in the bed of the vehicle.
Prior art racks typically suited for such pickup trucks and similar vehicles generally have a rigid frame mounted to the vehicle, the frame typically extending upwardly from the four corners of the bed to a vertical height above the height of the cab. Such frames generally are not easily removed from the vehicle after installation, or, if they are removable, they may not be securely attached to the vehicle. Thus, such frames typically do not permit flexibility in utilization- while the rack permits some oversized loads to be carried by the vehicle, it inhibits some ordinary uses of the vehicle because the rack frame obstructs access to the interior of the bed. Furthermore, most such racks are aesthetically not very pleasing, and therefore are not suitable or desirable for use on sporty or stylish pickups.